In the journal ITB Nonwovens, Industrial Textiles, 4/95, pages 20-25, "Degradables or the Recycling Economy for Disposables," or in the journal Chemical Fibers International, Vol. 46, April 1996, page 102, "A New Water-Soluble PVA Fiber for Nonwovens Application," a special chemical fiber is described made from a hydrophilic synthetic polymer. In addition to other important properties, it has the special ability to dissolve in water at certain temperatures without leaving a residue. The fiber consists of a polyvinyl alcohol and can be processed by weaving or by nonwoven technology to form a sheet material from which any desired article of clothing or the like can be produced. These sheets made of PVA fibers however are used especially in hygienic products because after being used during surgery in a hospital for example, they can be disposed of easily and rapidly if contaminated with blood and the like by dissolving them in hot water.
It is known that these PVA fibers can be processed by means of a card or aerodynamically to form a nonwoven. To lend them sufficient strength, these fleeces are compacted by mechanical needling technology and then processed to produce the desired articles of clothing. It has been found that fleeces with these fibers that have been compacted by mechanical needling technology can be produced at rates that are too low for industry. In addition, when mechanical needling is used, there is a risk of holes being formed, which is disadvantageous for the desired impermeability of the hygienic articles to water.
The goal of the invention is to develop a method by which the nonwoven manufactured as usual from these PVA fibers can be compacted continuously at a higher rate than by the mechanical method, and thus a product can be produced that is uniformly compacted and is essentially impermeable to fluid.